The Master and His Emissary is inspired by a book with the same title, written by neuroscientist and philosopher Ian McGilchrist. In the book, McGilchrist analyzes the right and left hemispheres of the human brain, attempting to dispel popular psychology myths regarding the way the two hemispheres function.

McGilchrist describes the right hemisphere as the Master: holistic, context-aware, empathetic, and melancholic. On the other hand, the left hemisphere is characterized as His Emissary: irrationally calculative, egotistical, and upholds the belief that it is always right (pun intended).

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I was fascinated by the way McGilchrist characterizes the left hemisphere: mechanical and uncompromising. I wanted to explore His Emissary's dangerous nature to the nth degree; a machine which breaks down as it affirms itself in what it believes.